KDMC polls: BJP offers to share mayor's post with Shiv Sena

Mumbai: In a bid to break the deadlock due to the hung verdict in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls, BJP has come up with a power-sharing formula involving rotational sharing of the mayor's post with Shiv Sena, the single-largest party.

The offer came a day after Shiv Sena hinted at a truce with BJP following bad blood between the two parties in the run-up to the election.

"BJP has offered to give mayor's post to Shiv Sena for four years and one year to itself (in KDMC). While the chairmanship of the Standing Committee is to be held by BJP and Shiv Sena for three and two years, respectively," a senior BJP leader said.

He cited the power-sharing agreement which is in place between the two parties in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, where Shiv Sena is to hold the mayoral post for a period of four years and the BJP for one year.

Alliance partners at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena and BJP had, however, separately contested the KDMC election with the cut and thrust of campaigning characterised by mudslinging.

While Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 52 seats, BJP improved its tally handsomely to bag 42 seats. Shiv Sena is 10 short of the magic figure of 62 in the 122-member body. When contacted, a Shiv Sena leader said his party now enjoys the support of three Congress corporators and four Independents, taking its numbers to 57.

"We had extended support to four of the Independent candidates put up by the '27 Gaon Sangharsh Kruti Samiti' for the November 1 KDMC election," he said. On the BJP's offer of sharing power, he said the party was at the same time engaging in horse-trading.

The election for the mayor's post is held by a secret ballot and, as per rules, should be held on November 11. While the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) won nine seats in KDMC, Congress and NCP won four and two seats, respectively.